Latanya Mapp Frett is vice president global for Planned Parenthood Federation of America where she leads the organization’s international division, Planned Parenthood Global. For 40 years, Planned Parenthood Global has been working overseas to ensure that women, men, and young people in some of the world’s most neglected areas have access to the health care they need to control their bodies and their futures. By partnering with local advocates, medical service providers, and youth leaders and helping to build sustainable networks and organizations, we find innovative ways to deliver critical services and fight for more inclusive laws and policies.

Latanya joined Planned Parenthood with a distinguished and extensive track record in international development work, including eight years with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and ten years with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Most recently, she served as Program Director for USAID/Egypt, where she directed a $1.1 billion international aid portfolio in development areas including democracy and governance, environment, health, education, policy reform, private sector partnerships, agriculture and antiquities.

A native of Philadelphia, Latanya has lived and worked in Iraq, Pakistan and eight African countries including Lesotho, where she served as a Peace Corps volunteer. Throughout her career, she has maintained a special commitment to health and rights for women and young people, first as a child rights officer for UNICEF and later as USAID program director in several countries where her portfolios included health, HIV/AIDS, and education. She has been an active member of the international human rights community since serving as a Delegate to the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing 1995.

An attorney by training, Latanya began her career at the NAACP Legal and Education Fund in Washington, D.C. and maintains a deep commitment to civil and human rights. She holds a bachelor of arts in government and politics, a master’s in public policy and a J.D. from the University of Maryland.

Latanya is the recipient of many honors and awards including 2 esteemed meritorious honor awards from the US Government and the highest honor in civil service, the superior honor award from the US State Department. She was also one of 30 Foreign Service Officers honored with the Collin Powell Fellowship by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. She is also a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and author of 4 UN human rights publications.

Politics should not stand in the way of women’s access to family planning. Investing in women’s health leads to a healthier, more prosperous society — this is the legacy we should be exporting. On International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate our success, not try to dismantle it.